So I finally got around to ordering a Helle knife blade kit. I went with the Harding and a cocobollo block, ordered it from the fellas at Dryad (thanks for the quick shipping and prompt service, I will be ordering more for sure! Highly recommend these guys). Anyway, the Harding is the basic do-it-all type knife in the Helle lineup, and I like working with cocoollo, so I figured this was a no-brainer. The kit arrived Wednesday, I ordered it late Sunday night, and I had some work to do. I am making this knife for my brother in law, by the way, and we are doing out gift exchange over the Thnaksgiving holiday. Total, with shipping, ran 34 dollars or something real close to that. Since this isn't a build along (maybe the next one), I'll just get to the meat of the thread here.
The knife and the sheath (I had the leather already, but it wouldn't bring the total of the project over $40 I'm sure.
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/mmbackpacker/IMG_4027.jpg)
Close up of the handle. Nice chunk o' wood!
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/mmbackpacker/IMG_4028.jpg)
All in all, turned out nice, had a real fun project, my bro' gets something to treasure (well, hopefully), its a win-win!
Mike
Great looking knife. Helle blades are great blades.<><
Thats a very nice gift idea Mike. You did a really nice job with the cocobolo.
Nice job Mike. Those knives make the perfect gift, especially for an outdoors person. These days, it's hard to find a gift that nice for under 50 bucks.
I recognize that Elk Ninja sheath! A humble suggestion for the ultra-broke-always, like me: rather than a kit, just buy the blade. You can use a piece of antler (drill it out just undersize for the tang, fill the hole with MP13, tap the tang in, let dry) or almost any kind of wood, done either as described for antler, or sandwich two thinner pieces over the tang. I've had great luck with osage orange and bocote. The trick is to dip the stained and finished wood handle in clear expoxy, right up to the blade insert. Even cheaper ... even better! Mike, the build-along I'd like to see is not the knife, but the sheath. Cheers, dave